Rankings, playoff picks, championship predictions

Here’s our best guess at the Top 5 in each class after the final week of the regular season, our predictions for the winners of this week’s playoff games, and our prediction for State Champions in each classification. Asterisks indicate the first round games we believe will be the closest, thinking a touchdown or less for the final margin.

Remember, these are predictions, the games will still be played on the field and some of our predictions will be wrong. For those coaches looking for additional motivation, you're welcome for the bulletin board material.

Good luck to all teams in their quest for a 2024 State Championship which starts this week!

(All games are complete, see how we did below: **Indicates correct prediction; ≈Indicates incorrect prediction)

Class 6A

1. Derby
2. Manhattan
3. Blue Valley West
4. Gardner Edgerton
5. Wichita Northwest

East

Gardner Edgerton over Wyandotte**
*Lawrence over Shawnee Mission East≈
Blue Valley Northwest over Shawnee Mission North**
Free State over Olathe West**
Blue Valley West over Shawnee Mission West**
*Olathe South over Olathe Northwest≈
Shawnee Mission Northwest over Shawnee Mission South**
*Olathe East over Olathe North**

West

Derby over Campus**
Junction City over Topeka**
Dodge City over Garden City**
Wichita East over Wichita West**
Manhattan over Wichita North**
*Maize over Washburn Rural**
Wichita Northwest over Wichita Southeast**
*Wichita South over Wichita Heights**

State Championship Prediction

Derby over Gardner Edgerton

Gardner Edgerton edges Blue Valley West in the East semifinal, though Free State and Shawnee Mission Northwest could be a factor, while Derby downs Manhattan in the West semifinal with Wichita Northwest the other potential contender.

Class 5A

1. Mill Valley
2. St. Thomas Aquinas
3. Blue Valley
4. Great Bend
5. St. James Academy

East

Aquinas over Turner**
Pittsburg over Highland Park**
Mill Valley over JC Harmon**
*Spring Hill over Shawnee Heights**
De Soto over Blue Valley North≈
Leavenworth over Washington**
Basehor-Linwood over Blue Valley Southwest**
*Blue Valley over St. James Academy≈

West

Great Bend over Newton**
*Andover over Hays≈
Hutchinson over Salina South**
*Liberal over Bishop Carroll**
Eisenhower over Emporia**
Salina Central over Maize South≈
Seaman over Topeka West**
Goddard over Valley Center≈

State Championship Prediction

Mill Valley over Great Bend

This one is tough, Mill Valley and Aquinas appear headed for what looks to be an epic matchup in the East quarterfinals and the winner of that matchup is your likely State Champion. Blue Valley and St. James Academy are going to play one of the very best opening round matchups in any classification and the winner is likely to play either Mill Valley or STA in the semis. On the West side, Great Bend and Eisenhower look to be headed for a potential shootout in the semifinals, though Hutch and Andover play a brand of football that can make for an upset. 

Class 4A

1. Andover Central
2. Bishop Miege
3. Kapaun
4. Wellington
5. Louisburg

East

Atchison over Bonner Springs**
*Lansing over Eudora**
Fort Scott over Field Kindley**
Tonganoxie over FL Schlagle**
*Bishop Miege over Louisburg**
Labette County over Sumner**
Chanute over Paola**
*Ottawa over Piper**

West

Wamego over Independence**
McPherson over Abilene**
Mulvane over Augusta**
Buhler over Ark City**
Andover Central over El Dorado**
*Winfield over Circle**
Wellington over Ulysses**
Kapaun over Rose Hill**

State Championship Prediction

Andover Central over Bishop Miege

Yes, a one-win Miege team is likely to be the East representative in the 4A title game, but this is the year that Andover Central finally takes them down and returns the trophy to a public school.

Class 3A

1. Andale
2. Hayden
3. Collegiate
4. Rock Creek
5. Frontenac

East

Wellsville over Baldwin**
Holton over Burlington**
Prairie View over Iola**
Columbus over Parson**
Frontenac over Baxter Springs**
*Perry-Lecompton over Santa Fe Trail**
Hayden over Hiawatha**
Girard over Bishop Ward**

West

Andale over Concordia**
*Pratt over Clay Center≈
Wichita Collegiate over Colby**
Cheney over Trinity Academy**
Rock Creek over Smoky Valley**
*Holcomb over Marysville**
Scott City over Clearwater**
Hesston over Goodland**

State Championship Prediction

Andale over Hayden

Frontenac or Wellsville could give Hayden a tussle on the East side of the bracket, but in the West - and the title game for that matter - it's hard to imagine anyone slowing down an Andale team that appears hell-bent on atoning for last year's "down" season.

Class 2A

1. Southeast of Saline
2. Nemaha Central
3. Osage City
4. Silver Lake
5. Humboldt

East

Humboldt over Atchison County**
*Riverton over Eureka**
Council Grove over Caney Valley**
Silver Lake over Galena**
Osage City over Bluestem**
St. Marys over Central Heights**
Nemaha Central over Fredonia**
*Sabetha over Royal Valley**

West

Southeast of Saline over Larned**
Norton over Hillsboro**
Hoisington over Ellsworth**
Haven over Cimarron**
Garden Plain over Douglass**
Phillipsburg over Kingman**
Beloit over Minneapolis**
*Lakin over Halstead**

State Championship Prediction

Southeast of Saline over Nemaha Central

This is likely the deepest classification of them all. A potential Nemaha Central vs. Osage City matchup in the East quarterfinals is intriguing, but big game experience propels the Thunder to the title game, while Southeast of Saline appears the clear favorite on the West side of the bracket.

Class 1A

1. Conway Springs
2. Rossville
3. Jackson Heights
4. St. Mary's Colgan
5. Moundridge

East

Jackson Heights over Erie**
Troy over Jayhawk Linn**
Rossville over Wabaunsee**
McLouth over Pleasanton**
St. Mary's Colgan over Horton**
Riverside over Jeff County North**
Centralia over Onaga**
Olpe over Mission Valley**

West

Conway Springs over Bennington**
Marion over Sacred Heart**
*Inman over Plainville≈
Sedgwick over Republic County**
*Moundridge over Hutch Trinity≈
Medicine Lodge over Smith Center**
Valley Heights over Oakley**
*Sterling over TMP**

State Championship Prediction

Conway Springs over Rossville

A potential East quarterfinal matchup between Jackson Heights and Rossville is the game most 1A fans are looking forward to, while Conway Springs may be even better than their 1A title team of a season ago and is a noted favorite in the West.

8-Man I

1. Hoxie
2. Wichita County
3. South Central
4. Ell-Saline
5. West Elk

East

West Elk over Northern Heights**
*Little River over Lincoln**
Chase County over Sedan**
*Central Plains over Sylvan-Lucas**
Ell-Saline over Rock Hills**
Madison over Cedar Vale/Dexter**
Clifton Clyde over Solomon**
*Oswego over Lyndon**

West

South Central over Spearville**
*Rawlins County over Ellis**
*Sublette over Skyline (Skyline forfeited this contest)
Hill City over Trego**
Wichita County over Decatur Community**
*South Gray over Kiowa County**
Hoxie over La Crosse**
Oxford over Kinsley**

State Championship Prediction

Hoxie over Ell-Saline

There's some depth in this classification. Ell-Saline's schedule leaves them battle-tested and gives them the edge in a potential matchup with West Elk in the East semifinals, while Hoxie and Wichita County appear headed toward an epic quarterfinal matchup on the West side with a likely matchup against South Central awaiting the winner in the semis.

8-Man II

1. Axtell
2. Hanover
3. Frankfort
4. Victoria
5. Burlingame

East

Marmaton Valley over Hartford**
Frankfort over Linn**
Burlingame over St. Paul**
Hanover over Pike Valley**
Axtell over Thunder Ridge**
Rural Vista over Waverly**
Osborne over Blue Valley-Randolph**
*Lebo over Colony-Crest**

West

Central Christian over Macksville**
Logan/Palco over Ashland**
Victoria over Langdon-Fairfield**
Minneola over Wallace County≈
Bucklin over Wheatland/Grinnell**
Hodgeman County over Norwich**
Dighton over Deerfield**
*St. John over Argonia-Attica≈

State Championship Prediction

Axtell over Victoria

The East bracket is absolutely loaded, but nothing that has happened over the past four years provides any indication that Axtell isn't the runaway favorite to four-peat. Victoria appears to be a noted favorite in the West, with Dighton a likely challenger in the semifinals.

6-Man

1. Cunningham
2. Weskan
3. South Barber
4. Ingalls
5. Golden Plains

East

Chetopa over Chase**

West

Northern Valley over Rolla**
Pawnee Heights over Western Plains**
Moscow over Triplains**

State Championship Prediction

Cunningham over Weskan

The Wildcats appear headed for a dominant 6-Man run through the East to the championship. The West side of the bracket is more balanced, even once highly-regarded Weskan appears vulnerable.